amywillcock.co.uk

Newsletter January 2005

Modern Country Living - Domestic Bliss

Game On: Happy New Year

I’ve been saving my pheasant recipe for the New Year as by now everyone will be wondering what to do with the freezer full they have. This month’s recipe is originally from Normandy so the Calvados is essential as it the Crème Fraiche. It freezes very well, I like to ring the changes from mashed potato so have a go at cooking Polenta it is extremely easy and delicious.

Recipe: French Pheasant
Serves 6

3 Large Pheasants jointed
2 onions, chopped roughly
150g cubed pancetta or smoked bacon
2-4 tbsp Clarified butter
8 juniper berries, crushed
Pinch of cloves
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
200ml Calvados
300-500ml game stock or chicken stock
Salt and pepper
2-3 tbsp crème fraiche – full fat

Take a large casserole and brown the pheasant joints in the clarified butter remove them to a plate. Put the pancetta and onions into the casserole and cook until lightly browned. Add the juniper berries, cloves, salt and pepper and the pheasant joints layering the apple slices in between. Finally add the Calvados and enough stock to cover the meat and bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and then simmer for 1-2hours in a pre heated oven at 160 C. You can freeze it at this point.

When you are ready to serve, swirl in the crème fraiche and serve with Polenta or mashed potatoes.

Tip:
I have found some very stylish hot pads for keeping my fingers warm in these cold months – it is called The Incredible Hot Pad. They are reuseable and come in lots of different sizes I have even used the larger one to keep the sausages warm

www.newandhotproducts.com

This article by Amy Willcock appears in The Shooting Gazette January 2005, and is reproduced here with permission.

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